At a sentencing hearing Friday, Dane County Circuit Court Judge Nicholas McNamara said Cortes needs prison as a time to consider the future and change.

“He did not want this to happen,” McNamara said of Cortes, but says he made poor choices.

” I would like to express how sorry I am for this tragic accident,” Cortes says. “I hope you can one day forgive me.”

McNamara said it is a “strength” of the Nametz family that they did not ask for the maximum sentence.

“The Nametz family not only lost their husband and father and brother, brother-in-law, neighbor, co-worker, friend, best buddy, classmate, just good person in the community, they lost the chance to say good bye to him,” McNamara said.

“It’s tough,” Nametz’s brother, Hank Nametz tells 27 News. “It’s one thing when you’re sick for awhile and you can nurture people and you expect inevitably you’re all going to die one day, but to be taken like this.”